


the runner and the lover

by thephanlock



Series: TWD One-Shots [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Depends on the remainder of TWD S7, Desus - Freeform, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Jaryl - Freeform, Kind of AU, M/M, Post-Season/Series 07, Set after Negan, What ship name even is it?, darus - Freeform, jeryl, twd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 06:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10405860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephanlock/pseuds/thephanlock
Summary: Ever since they’d defeated Negan and the Saviors a few months ago, Daryl and Jesus had been spending even more time together than they had during the war and going out on runs together was becoming a habit.A habit that Daryl was surprised to find he didn’t mind keeping.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully, the characters aren't too OOC. :) 
> 
> Title taken from one of my favourite songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr6lenhEySk

**_the runner and the lover_ **

 

“3, 2, 1,” The words left Daryl’s lips in a whisper and within a moment, they both dove into action.

With his crossbow raised, Daryl shoved the door open with his shoulder, barging into the abandoned store and disturbing what little quiet there was left. Upon first inspection, it seemed as though the place was empty, deserted even, apart from the few cans of food scattered amongst the shelves, left behind from before the world changed. Hesitant, Daryl lowered his crossbow a little, along with his guard, as he made his way to the nearest shelf.

Reaching for the tins, he glanced over his shoulder to see Jesus surveying the remainder of the shop, walking down the, now barely recognisable, aisles and occasionally putting things into the pockets of his coat. As though he sensed Daryl’s eyes on him, Jesus looked up and over the top of the aisle.

“Find anything?” He asked, as he wasn’t barely an aisle away, still close enough that he could see Daryl placing tinned food into his backpack.

“Nah, nothin’ much, just cans.” Daryl replied, grabbing one nearby and turning it over to check the sell-by date. Ever since they’d defeated Negan and the Saviors a few months ago, Daryl and Jesus had been spending even more time together than they had during the war and going out on runs together was becoming a habit that Daryl was surprised to find he didn’t mind keeping. 

Still, for the first time in what felt like forever, Daryl found himself wanting to talk to someone - Jesus to be specific - found himself wanting to tell him about Sophia and Hershel and Beth and everyone in between, wanting to tell him everything because for the first time, he felt like he  _ could.  _ He felt like if he tried to speak about it with Jesus, the words wouldn’t get caught in his throat like they did with everyone else.

After muttering ‘screw it’ and swiping all the remaining cans off the shelf and into his backpack, Daryl turned back around to face Jesus, before signalling to the door. With a nod, Jesus headed out through the entrance and turned back to face Daryl, clearly about to say something. 

But whatever he was about to say died on his lips, as a walker pulled him to the side and out of Daryl’s view.

“Jesus!” Daryl shouted, instinctively raising his crossbow and stalking out of the store. Reaching for an arrow, he hastily loaded the crossbow and shot the first walker to the ground. What had been a peaceful place barely a few seconds ago was now flooded with walkers, so many he couldn’t keep track of exactly how many there were.

As a second walker inched closer to Jesus, he fumbled trying to grab a knife from his pants but wasn’t quite quick enough. The walker pushed against him, before Jesus delivered a kick to its stomach, sending it back a little and giving him enough time to scurry backwards and grab the knife he had been searching for. Hands still shaking, he pushed the knife through the walker’s temple as several more crowded around him, making it more difficult for Daryl to see him.

“ _ Paul _ !” Daryl yelled, scrambling through the walkers and re-killing as many of them as he could, heading towards where he last saw him. Whilst fending off his own small herd of walkers, Daryl tried to shoot as many as possible from the ever growing crowd forming around Paul. 

Meanwhile, Paul kicked, punched and stabbed walkers until he burst through the huddle and ran beside Daryl, grabbing his hand impulsively and running away from the scene towards the car they’d borrowed from the Hilltop. 

Neither of them looked back or said a word to one another the entire journey back, too lost in thought.

 

* * *

 

Later on that evening, Daryl sat in his room as the rest of the residents of Hilltop made dinner and chatted about their day. But he didn’t feel like doing that, the thoughts that plagued him earlier on in the day still haunting him. He sighed heavily, brought out of his head by a knock on the door.

Reluctantly, he got to his feet and opened the door to reveal the one man he couldn’t get out of his head.

“You want to tell me what’s going on, Daryl?” Jesus asked. With a snort, Daryl stepped aside, a silent signal that he was welcome to enter.

“Well hey to you, too.” Daryl shot back, quite obviously avoiding the question. Of course, this didn’t go unnoticed by Jesus, who had got to know him better than anyone else in the last six months.

“What’s bothering you? You’ve not spoken since we got back and you’ve been in here all night. So, what is it?” Paul continued and for some reason, Daryl could feel the panic he felt before bubbling up in his stomach in the form of anger.

“‘S nothing, alright? Leave it!” Jesus could almost see all Daryl’s defences building back up before his eyes and he felt his heart tug at the thought of it, aching painfully. Closing his eyes and drawing a deep breath, Daryl stopped himself and tried to calm down, it wasn’t nothing and he  _ did  _ want to talk to Jesus. That same feeling he felt before was back, the swell in his chest that he felt as though he was finally comfortable enough to talk to someone, that someone being Jesus. 

He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to forgive himself if he pushed him away now.

“It’s just, uh,” With a pause, he suddenly realised that he didn’t know how to go about these type of things. He realised, not for the first time, that he hadn’t really felt this way before, that he hadn’t really wanted to say anything like this before to anyone. And now that he did, he didn’t know  _ how.  _ “Thought it was all over back there and I just, I can’t lose you, Paul.”

As though these few words cleared everything up, the concerned look on Paul’s face disappeared, as he hesitantly placed his hand on the side of Daryl’s face, as though scared that he would dart at any minute. He leaned forwards ever so slightly, but paused for a moment, giving the other man a chance to back out. Daryl gave a small nod and with that, Jesus closed the gap between them, his lips pressing against Daryl’s.

For a moment, neither of them moved. And then, it was like a switch flipped and both of them spun into action. Paul’s hands found their way to the back of Daryl’s neck, pulling him closer and closer until their bodies were flush against one another. Whereas, Daryl wrapped one arm around Paul’s waist and ran the fingers of his other hand through his hair. 

When they finally pulled away for breath, Paul rested his forehead against Daryl’s, their lips still touching, brushing against one another as he muttered,

“Just for the record, I can’t lose you either.”


End file.
